Tired of nectarines that are either rock hard or mushy? Our food expert has some advice. Plus, something to think about the next time you grab a cup of coffee.

Marilyn Wadum answers your questions in June's Food for Thought mailbag.

We start off with a natural this time of the year: what's the best way to ripen produce?

Marilyn says, "The best way to ripen produce is to keep it at room temperature and no covering because it needs warm temperature and oxygen. If you want to stall it, put it somewhere chilled, the refrigerator and keep it covered."

A question from someone who is watching cholesterol intake: what's the best type of margarine spread?

Marilyn says, "Look for one that it light. That means half the fat has been removed. And also look at the label. Is the first ingredient olive oil or canola oil? Those would be most healthy. Make sure it's five grams of fat or less per serving."

How about fiber water? Is it worth the money?

Marilyn says, "If the fiber water tells you how many grams in there, we would expect five grams or more, then it helps with daily intake. If it's less than five grams, it's negligible and you wouldn't need to purchase it."

And about those coffee creamers: does it matter whether we chose the dry or liquid variety?

Marilyn says, "You're going to want to look at the label again. Look for one that's low fat, one to two grams per serving. Look at the first ingredient on the label. Hopefully it's not hydrogenated fat. If it is, both are the same."